


Antlers

by suallenparker



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Antlers, Christmas, Christmas Story, F/M, Office, Office Party, mistletoe kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-22
Updated: 2014-12-22
Packaged: 2018-03-02 21:43:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2827097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suallenparker/pseuds/suallenparker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Melinda hides away from an office party at SHIELD, Phil comes and finds her. - Set after Bahrain but before the Loki-incident.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Antlers

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Philinda 24 Kisses Advent Calendar. Short and fluffy with just the tiniest dash of angst. I hope you enjoy!

She checks receipts from the field agents. It’s her Christmas tradition. Makes her feel useful. More often than not she has to use the denied stamp. Someone wanted SHIELD to pay for a goldfish without any explanation what that had to do with their rescue mission in Texas. Parties never were her thing, even before Bahrain and now she gets that tight feeling in her chest whenever too many people are around. They’re always too loud and they always get too close. So when Fury announced when the annual Christmas Party would be, she immediately signed up for the late shift for that day.

So here she is, in her office alone, like she prefers. Sometimes a door opens down the floor and she can hear music coming from the big meeting room, where the party is held. The floors smell better than usual, like cinnamon and eggnog. That’s enough Christmas spirit for her.

The music swells up again and she hears steps coming towards her office. She doesn’t pay much attention to it. Her office is close to the elevators. But the steps stop at her door.

“So this is where they make the red tape,” a familiar voice says.

She looks up because she just has to see. “Coulson!” She smiles. She can’t help it. They haven’t seen each other since February, because of his missions.

“Hi, May.” He grins at her and he looks ridiculous. The suit he wears is fine, a dark grey wool. But he combined it with a black shirt and a colorful tie with reindeers on it. their noses flicker in red lights. The look is rounded by some brown plush antlers on his head. Absolutely ridiculous. And it doesn’t surprise her at all.

She grins at him.

He walks up to her cubicle. “You know there’s a party going on, right?”

“You dressed for the occasion.”

“It’s christmas.“ He touches the antlers proudly.

“I can’t take you seriously.”

“I think I look dashing.” His grin widens. “See what I did there?”

He and his damn puns. She rolls her eyes. But gosh, she missed that too.

“You should come and celebrate with us,” he says softly.

She looks away.

“We miss you,” he adds.

Yeah, sure. She presses the accepted stamp on another receipt and puts it away.

Phil sighs. “I miss you.”

She loves hearing the tenderness in his voice. Damn. She still doesn’t look at him, she’s afraid he might see too much. “I miss you, too.”

For a moment there’s silence. Then he says, “Is this a mistletoe?”

She looks up and he nods at something hanging from the ceiling above him. “Yes,” she says.

“Isn’t that like asking for harassment suits?”

“Apparently it’s good for morale.”

He nibbles at his bottom lip. “We never kissed.”

“No, we didn’t.” But she wanted too. She wants to now.

He swallows and glances at her mouth. “Melinda …”

Their gazes lock and she stands up. His eyes widen as she walks up to him. He touches her lower arm when she stops in front of him. They haven’t been this physically close in years. And he smells so very good.

“How are you?” he asks.”

“Better.” She knows he wouldn’t fall for her lies and platitudes. Sometimes she sleeps for five hours straight. Some nights, the nightmares don’t come. She’s better. She doesn’t feel as broken and she loves the way he looks at her. She’s not hopeless anymore.

His hand glides down and grabs hers. “I missed you so much,” he sighs. Is there longing in his eyes?

Her heart skips a beat and she glances up at the mistletoe. “It’s tradition,” she tries.

“We don’t have to,” he says and swallows.

She looks down, embarrassed. “You don’t want to.” Of course not. She tries to pull away her hand, but he holds on to it.

“Oh, I want to.” There’s something in his voice that doesn’t leave room for doubt.

When she looks at him, he’s completely focused on her.

“I’d love to,” he adds quietly.

It makes her feel light. She tiptoes and leans in, slowly. If he changes his mind, she wants him to have time to turn away. But he doesn’t. His hand squeezes hers gently. Her eyes fall shut when she presses her lips against him. It’s like they’re in slow motion. It’s like every tiny movement is a new and welcomed commitment. Then their tongues touch and she tastes him. Eggnog, oranges and him. A perfect Christmas kiss. He sighs and she deepens their kiss. His free arm wraps around her waist and he pulls her against him. She runs her right hand through his hair. The antlers fall to the ground, but she doesn’t care.

Eventually their kiss ends, but they hold on to each other. He caresses her back. “This isn’t just tradition for me, you know that, right?” he asks.

She sighs and strokes his hair. “I want this so much.”

He smiles brightly and squeezes her hand. “Good.”

She smiles too, before she lifts herself up for a second kiss.


End file.
